1. Field
The present invention relates to rotary lawn mowers and, more particularly, to such mowers specially adapted for both mulching and discharging grass clippings.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is generally well known in the lawn mower industry that a rotary mower designed to discharge grass clippings is typically not efficient for use in mulching. Similarly, it is known that a mower designed specifically to mulch grass clippings is typically less effective for discharging and/or bagging the clippings. Numerous attempts have been made to convert a discharge-type mower to a mulching mower, as evidenced by the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,983,096, issued May 9, 1961 to Phelps; 3,706,190, issued Dec. 19, 1972 to Taub; 4,135,351, issued Jan. 23, 1979 to Akgulian; 4,312,174, issued Jan. 26, 1982 to Vanderhoef; 4,326,370, issued Apr. 27, 1982 to Thorud; 4,435,949, issued Mar. 13, 1984 to Heismann; 4,726,178, issued Feb. 23, 1988 to Mallaney, et al.; 5,048,279, issued Sep. 17, 1991 to Badawey, et al.; and 5,090,183, issued Feb. 25, 1992 to Thorud, et al.
In each of the above-cited patents, a compromise must be made in either convenience or performance, or both. In particular, prior art mowers adapted for both mulching and discharging grass clippings typically require additional components to be bolted or otherwise secured to the cutting deck to convert the mower for use in mulching. Such additional components must be removed and stored when not in use. With regard to performance, most prior art mowers adapted to mulch and discharge typically perform both functions less efficiently than mowers dedicated to one function or the other. Due to the shape of the cutting chamber and configuration of the blade, mowers which provide superior mulching capabilities typically are not well suited for discharging grass clippings, and vice versa. Accordingly, a need has been recognized for a single mower which may be easily and conveniently converted from discharging to mulching, and which performs both functions in a superior manner.